Rotrex Group set to significantly expand its fibre rope capability over next two years
Tuesday, 11th May 2021
The Rotrex Group, which is one of the leading winch specialists in Europe, is looking to invest heavily in its fibre rope capabilities over the next couple of years as customer demand changes.
The investment means it will grow its overall rope capacity by 40% and be able to offer an equal choice of steel or fibre rope to meet the market’s demands as it recovers following the pandemic.
Rotrex’s decision to ramp up its use of fibre ropes, which are made of HMPE fibres (highly modular polyethene), follows a large upturn in enquiries from clients across various sectors. Core benefits, which include potentially higher load strengths, better buoyancy, significant weight reduction, easier handling, and the ability to be used for both on-shore and offshore projects, are being seen as the main drivers of customer demand.
However, Rotrex Group still see a role for steel rope and is therefore committed to maintaining this option to ensure customers have a choice and that its team of experts can recommend the most appropriate material for each individual project.
Rotrex’s most recent and significant investment used Dyneema HMPE fibre ropes on its new ‘Magni’ winch. Omac manufactured it in Italy to Rotrex’s exact specifications, including state-of-the-art remote control and Wi-Fi technologies. It is now the most significant capacity trailer winch currently available in Europe and offers an additional 20-tonne pulling capacity when compared to the firm’s previous largest model. It also has more extensive rope storage facilities, allowing pulls of up to 2,400m, which is more than double that of a traditional 40-tonne winch.
Rotrex Group is working on two major windfarm projects in Taiwan using fibre ropes. The first is on four banks of six wind turbines, and the second is on eight banks of seven wind turbines. The winch with the fibre ropes will be used to pull cable from the offshore substations to land.
Don Wilkinson – European Sales Manager at the Rotrex Group – said: “As a business, we are always looking to innovate and stay ahead of our clients’ demands. Steel ropes have been the principal option for years but the technology around fibre ropes has intensified. This means more and more people are now aware of – and appreciate – the performance benefits they deliver. However, our commitment to steel ropes will remain strong so that will be able to specify the right product every time.”
